Dumb Christmas
by AbigailJonesNY
Summary: Little Massachusetts hates Christmas, his people have even outlawed it. But, he lives in a house full of Christmas-loving people and doesn't quite know what to do. What's right, what's wrong? He doesn't know. All the poor thing knows is he wants snow.


**Now it's time to really get into the Christmas spirit. Did you know that in 1659 Massachusetts made it illegal to celebrate Christmas? They would fine you for decorating and everything!**

Thirteen little children scurried around, their bare feet padding noisily against the hardwood. The eldest, a Brit that represented the entire country of England, had just brought in their first Christmas tree with a brown-haired four-year-old on his heels. "England, England! Did you get a good one?" little North Carolina, or Nola, asked.

The Brit laughed, nodding. "Yes, I do believe so. What do you think, Penn?" The brown-haired boy looked up and nodded with a huge grin on his face. A tall blond teen suddenly came in with a basket of apples and donuts coated in sugar.

"Who's ready to decorate?" he asked. All the children squealed and giggled before running up to help. Well, all but one. A shaggy haired blond boy sat on the sofa with his arms crossed, staring at the evergreen in the living room. He watched as his siblings jumped over each other to reach an area to put an apple. Some were wrapping garland of popcorn and cranberries around the tree. Even red strips of paper connected as circles were draped over branches. It was stupid, a waste of food and paper, honestly. Then, England pulled out something from a box, a golden sparkly star. He put this star on top, just to complete the dumb-looking tree. While all the other children stood back and looked on with admiration, he looked at it in disgust.

Little Massachusetts didn't know quite why he hated Christmas, all he knew was he did. It was illegal and he was happy. The only bad thing was living in a house full of Merry-Christmas-ing fools. One of his sisters looked at him, grinning before climbing up beside him.

"Isn't it pretty, Massy? Eng'and's star just makes it look awesome! Don't you think so?" Little New York gawked, glancing at the tree with each little sentence.

"It's dumb." Mass snapped. New York looked at him confused. "The whole thing is dumb! You's dumb fo' liking it, Yorkie!" New York's eyes filled with tears at his words, she breathed in a shaky breath before hopping down and running off.

"Daddy!" She slammed in to America's leg and clung to his trousers, crying loud sobs and soaking the teen's pant leg. America bent down and picked her up.

"What's wrong, Baby Girl?" he asked while rubbing her back to calm her tears.

"M-Ma-Mass c-called m-me d-dumb!" she wailed, burying her face and sobbing into her father's chest. America shushed her until she started hiccupping before setting her in a chair.

Mass sunk down in his spot when America came closer, "I didn't do nothing!" he shouted.

"Okay, okay, Mass." America bent down next to him. "Why did New York say you called her dumb?"

Mass shrugged, "All I did was say Christmas is dumb."

America nodded, "Well, maybe to you. The others and me and Dad all like it. It's not all about you." Sometimes the little boy was hard to teach anything to, after all, his people had the 'our way or the highway' attitude and it infected him.

"But it's not fair!" Mass whined.

"It's not fair that you're being grumpy and mean to everybody." America countered. The small boy shut his mouth and plopped his head down against the couch cushion, mumbling nonsense into the sofa. America smiled and picked him up and tickled him, trying to get a smile. Mass eventually broke into a grin and fit of giggles.

"Okay, okay!" he laughed. America rested the child on his hip, carrying him off to the boys' bedroom. Mass was laid down on his bed while America fetch a nightshirt for him.

"Now, it's time to get ready for bed. Santa'll be coming soon and-"

"There's no San'a." A little girl said from the doorway. New Jersey looked in, rubbing her sleep-filled eyes. "It's Saint Nick. He fills our shoes. Yorkie an' me jus' put our shoes out by the tree." America nodded, a smile growing on his face. He kissed the girl's head and popped her on the butt, sending her to her room for a few minutes so he could get the boys ready.

"Santa will be coming soon and you can't be awake or he won't leave anything." America said as he undressed the boy. He pulled the white nightshirt over Massachusetts' messy hair and got all the other boys in, helping them dress. After each boy laid in bed, America blew out the candles set up around the room.

"Daddy." Mass called just as America put a foot out of the threshold.

He spun around, "Yeeeees?"

Mass sat up, shifting around uncomfortably. "Would…would San'a still come if you don't do Christmas? If you still believe in Jesus and God? Would he?"

America stood confused for a minute, unsure on what his response should be. Of course he and England had gotten the 3-year-old a gift, why wouldn't they? He wasn't expecting him to want anything, though. He finally put on a small smile and hugged the boy. "Of course he will. Santa just looks for the good girls and boys. I'm sure he has something for you."

Mass sighed in relief and laid back down. America tucked the corners of the quilt under the boy's sides and pecked his forehead before going across the hall to the girls' room. Mass sat back up, saying a quick prayer for his and his siblings' safety and for lots of snow. He may have even added that he wanted God to teach him to accept Christmas even though he knew it wasn't right. He rested his head back on his pillow, watching his brothers all peacefully sleep, probably dreaming of Christmas morning. He could look past certain details of the holiday…yeah.

* * *

The next morning all fourteen children awoke to the chilly signs of snow. All six boys scrambled to the window and Appalachian wiped away the frost from the window. Outside the snow stretched as far as they could see, blanketing the entire area in white. They all gasped in admiration and giggled in delight.

"Snow on Christmas Mornin'! It's the Christmas Miracle!" South Carolina, or just plain South, exclaimed. They all high-fived and laughed.

Mass looked out the window once more, "…Merry Christmas, guys." He whispered. Penn looked at him and smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Massy."

**That's a good stopping point, I think. I know this all short and stuff, but I just saw that weird little law and had to write for it. Mass is still a little weary of celebrating, but he'll give it a shot. Basically the reason Christmas was outlawed was the Puritans believed it had no Biblical backing. The Bible never said that Jesus was born on December 25****th****, he was actually born in either September or I think May. Catholics started celebrating His birth in December to cover up a Roman pagan holiday called Saturnalia that celebrated the god Saturnus. This was originally on December 17****th****. Puritans saw this cover-up-holiday as strictly 'human invention' and outlawed it in 1659. The law wasn't lifted until 1681 but even then there wasn't any getting out of school or off of work because of it. Children could've been punished or expelled from school for not being there on Christmas Day. Yeah.**

**Welp, there's a little history lesson for you! I know, most of us are out school now it's kind of like "No learning! We need a break!" but I'm a little nerdy-geeky child that Googles Christmas history for fun…**

**By the way, Appalachian is West Virginia. There were settlers back at the mountains and that's what he represented.**

**Review and Favorite and tell me what you thought! Isn't Massachusetts insane? **


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